Crispy Lebanese Falafel Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Crispy Lebanese Falafel Recipe

Lebanese Falafel is a vegan dish made with chickpeas, parsley, lemon, garlic, and spices. It is a popular Middle Eastern street food, but it can also be easily made at home using these eay to follow directions. Vegan Lebanese falafel perfect for serving in pita wraps, bowls,

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Course: All Day

Cuisine: Arabic, Lebanese

Diet:

Servings: patties

Calories: 140kcal

Author: Ruth Grindeland

Equipment

1 Food Processor
1 deep skillet
1 falafel scooper optional

Ingredients

1 and ¾ cup dried chickpeas
2 cloves garlic lightly crushed
½ yellow onion diced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup fresh parsley chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 fresh lemon
2 cups oil for frying*

Instructions

Prepare the Beans:
Put garbanzo beans in a large bowl and cover with water 3 to 4 inches above the beans. Soak beans overnight. The beans will triple in size during this time.
Combine Ingredients:
Place all the ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor; pulse until mealy. The result should be a thick paste. But if the paste is too thick and the food processor cannot pulse, add one tablespoon of water at a time. The falafel will not hold its shape if you add too much water.
Heat the Oil:
Using a large deep skillet, put 2 to 3 inches of oil in the pan (more is better) and heat to medium-high. The oil needs to be sizzling hot. To test if the oil is ready, place a small amount of falafel batter in the oil pinch. If the batter sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.
Scoop and Cook:
Scoop out a heaping 2 tablespoons of the mixture, using your hands, and shape it into a ball or small patty. Fry in batches spaced apart for five minutes, and flip the falafel pappy once during the cooking time.
Serve:
Serve hot or at room temperature. See notes for serving ideas.

Notes

Troubleshooting: There are four main reasons why falafel might fall apart when frying:

The mixture is too dry or too wet. If the mixture is too dry, it will not bind together well. If the mixture is too wet, it will be difficult to shape and will likely fall apart in the hot oil. To adjust the consistency of the mixture, add a little water or flour at a time until it is just moist enough to form into balls.
The oil is not hot enough. If the oil is not hot enough, the patties will absorb too much oil and become soggy. Heat the oil to 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit (175-190 degrees Celsius) before frying the falafel balls.
The falafel balls are too big. Large patties are more likely to fall apart than small ones. Aim for each falafel ball to be about the size of a golf ball.
The falafel balls were not rested long enough. Resting the patties for at least 30 minutes before frying will help them hold their shape and prevent them from falling apart.

Here are some additional tips for preventing falafel from falling apart when frying:

Use dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas. Canned chickpeas are often too soft and mushy for this recipe.
Do not overmix the falafel mixture. Overmixing can make the mixture tough and more likely to fall apart.
Fry the patties in batches so that they do not overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding the pan will lower the temperature of the oil and make it more difficult for the falafel balls to cook evenly.
Flip the only once while frying. Overflipping can cause them to fall apart.

Falafel Serving Ideas

Wraps: Fill a pita bread or tortilla with falafel, hummus, tahini, and your favorite vegetables.
Bowls: Serve over rice or quinoa with roasted vegetables, hummus, and tahini.
Burgers: Bake or grill the falafel balls and serve them on buns with your favorite toppings.
Salads: Add falafel balls to your favorite salad for an extra boost of protein and flavor

Nutrition